The Hunting Beast

I need some advice. I am going to be hunting some wetland areas and need our guys's advice. Which do you prefer and why? The likelihood of me going over my legs is rather small however, the possibility could be there.

I rarely where either... I either get by with knee boots, or get wet. Sometimes I undress to cross small areas of deep water... To me, waders seem like a pain to carry or walk distances in..

It's pretty simple. Do you want to get wet or not? And how deep is the water you'll be in?

some practical pointers already, I see

I use hip boots extensively for scouting, especially when its cold out. I've been wearing them for this since I was a kid, and would feel naked without them. I blast through most water without worry while scouting. For hunting, I try to get to the stand without them by wearing knee high boots. But during cold weather portions of the season, I won't hesitate to wear the hip boots to cross deep water to have the right approach to get on stand. In Michigan's UP on a gun opener one year, I crossed knee deep water and muck for an hour and a half to approach my stand correctly.

I have a pair that I bought for a fly fishing trip from a few years ago. Very light weight. They almost fit in your pocket.
you could jog in them there so light.

I use hip boots, I don't need my knee highs slurping when I move to take a shoot at a deer 10 yards away because there full of water. If I have to use the hip boots I leave them wherever I can get in the rest of the way with the knee highs.

I have a pair of waist waders, they work pretty good, they are neoprene though so its gets kinda warm during early season. Im actually gonna get some hip boots this year. Chest waders seem like a pain.

I've used both to get into various areas......just depends on the amount of water and muck. I usually just strap them onto my Badlands pack so I hardly even know I'm carrying them, then just stash them on the other side of the water and change back into my boots....works great.

No one has mentioned how bad waders and some hip boots smell . . .

No matter what, unless you're safe from sweat and/or never let water in over the tops, those waders have an oder - that wet basement smell, what have you. I used to bow hunt a spot on public that I had to cross a river to get to the woods. No one hunted this spot because the river was waist hieght, but factor in the muck and I was literally an inch to the top every time I crossed. I would throw my other boots across before I would, then once across, I would change out my boots and hide the waders in the marsh grass till I headed back to the truck. I knew I smelled, I could smell the odor immediately after taking off those waders.

I dunno, is it just my waders that smell - maybe. . . Whatever.

Thanks for the replies guys. I think I will probably go the hip boot route. Not as hot for the early season Very good point about the smell of waders! As far as smell, If I find good sign close to previous scouted bedding areas I will just hunt and try to go no further. The spot will be burned but will backups. However, maybe I won't need a second hunt

I bought a pair of the Muck Woody Bayou boots and they are fantastic. I was originally going to buy a pair of waders and am glad I didn't. These boots are fantastic and go well past my knees (I am kind of a short guy) and have not found a creek or stream that I can't get across. They roll down to be like your regular hunting boots and are warm. Good luck

Regarding the smell factor......just be sure when you get back home that you roll the tops down and put them on a boot dryer. It's the moisture/sweat that gets trapped inside that smells the worst!

I though about picking one of those up...How much do they usually run price wise?

Good point Sam. Do you think the odor stays with you even when you take them off and put on other boots? Do you carry scent killer for this?